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Dear Theo: when to come clean about criminal record?

Dear Theo,
I am a dedicated, well-qualified newly-qualified teacher with a BA and PGCE from Cambridge. However I am still looking for my NQT post and can only suppose it's down to my criminal past...
When I was 19, some friends and I carried out a very stupid prank and got ourselves a police caution for harassment. I started off by not mentioning this in job apps and got interviews. Then, at interview, I told them what my CRB check would reveal and didn't get the jobs. So the I started being really honest and confessed that I have a blemished record right from the start, with my application. Of course, now I don't even get interviews.
I always apply for these jobs through the local council. On every ad it says: "The successful applicant will be required to complete a Disclosure Application Form and to provide criminal conviction information."
So does this mean I should wait until I'm offered a job before telling them? That doesn't sound right. I'd be <u>so</u> grateful for some advice on when and how to confess to this to maximise my chances of finding my NQT job soon.
Thank you
- Joely

Oh dear!
Silly student pranks . . . I wish there were some way of wiping the slate for you after a while for stupid things done when young.
Personally that wouldn't put me off an applicant, as (a) I doubt it would re-occur and (b) I would not see it as a threat to the safety and wellbeing of pupils, staff or school property.
However, your getting interviews/not getting interviews is a bit worrying. Could be that your applications weren't as focussed later on . . .
My advice is this: Reveal all that you are asked to reveal. If you are asked on an application form, put it then. If (it sometimes happens) you are asked to include a sealed envelope with your application, do that. But if not, do nowt and say nowt. You are only deceiving and hiding if asked to declare and you do not.
Certainly the website suggests that you should wait until offered the post. I would suggest that when you fill in the CRB form, you write a private letter to the Head "warning" that there is a Police caution for a minor offence some years ago. This is not of the nature to impact on you carrying out the duties of a teacher.
This is a fairly typical extract from a Policy on employing ex-offenders. (Sorry - that is just the official wording . . .). It shows the school's response when a Disclosure comes back with a conviction.Consideration of Disclosure Information by the SchoolOn receipt of Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau the School shall consider the following:(i) Whether the conviction or other information disclosed is relevant to the position in question.(ii) The seriousness of the offence or other matter revealed.(iii) The length of time since the offence or other matter occurred.(iv) Whether the applicant has a pattern of offending behaviour or other relevant matters.(v) Whether the applicant's circumstances have changed since the offending behaviour or the other relevant matters.(vi) The circumstances surrounding the offence and the explanation(s) offered by the convicted person.We ensure that all those who are involved in the recruitment process have received guidance in identifying and assessing the relevance and circumstances of offences. We also ensure that they have received appropriate guidance in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of ex-offenders, e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Best of luck!

____________________________________________________________TheoGriff. Member of the TES Careers Advice Service.
The TES Careers Advice service runs seminars and workshops, one-to-one careers and applications advice, one-to-one interview coaching and an application review service.
I do Application and Interview one-to-ones, and also contribute to the Job Application Workshops. We look at application letters, executive summaries and interviews.
The next Applications Workshop I'm doing that still has vacancies is on Friday 25th February. www.tesweekendworkshop15.eventbrite.com

E-mail Julia on advice@tsleducation.com for more details of how to book a meeting with me personally.
Look forward to seeing you!

Thanks so much, Theo. The arid desert which was the job situation around Christmas is... urrr being rained on (I do love baffling Upper KS2 with these strangulated metaphors!) more every week and I do have a couple of applications to be working on at the moment, so this is something. Thank you <u>so</u> very much for clarifying how to handle this; and for your kind and understanding words, which do mean a lot when you'rve been starting to wonder whether you'll <u>ever</u> find a job...
- Joely xx

If you're free, why don't you come along on Friday? Borrow the money from your Mum!
____________________________________________________________TheoGriff. Member of the TES Careers Advice Service.
The TES Careers Advice service runs seminars and workshops, one-to-one careers and applications advice, one-to-one interview coaching and an application review service.
I do Application and Interview one-to-ones, and also contribute to the Job Application Workshops. We look at application letters, executive summaries and interviews.
The next Applications Workshop I'm doing that still has vacancies is on Friday 25th February. www.tesweekendworkshop15.eventbrite.com

E-mail Julia on advice@tsleducation.com for more details of how to book a meeting with me personally.
Look forward to seeing you!